Page 14 of Houston, We Have a Problem
Me: You and I have very different definitions of awesome.
Carissa: Hot dang why are you awake?
Me: Why are YOU?
Carissa: Because I have the early shift today. First patient comes in at five. Aren’t you in Arizona or something?
I hesitate. I could let her misremember and keep my location more of a secret, just in case things go south and someone connects me to Tamlin. Carissa doesn’t know that I am ever on TV—she thinks I’m an intern or an assistant and that I’m just working up to actually writing stories and reporting them.
But I don’t like lying to my baby sister, so I sigh and type out my response.
Me: New Mexico.
Carissa: There are sports in New Mexico? I thought it was nothing but tumbleweeds and tarantulas.
Me: Har har.
Carissa: Are they actually going to let you write a story this time?
Little does she know that this could be my biggest break yet. She also doesn’t know that she’s half the reason I work as hard as I do. Yeah, I want to make a name for myself as a serious sports journalist, but I also want to make enough money so that I can keep helping Mom and Dad with her student loans. PT school is expensive, and they had to take out a second mortgage to help cover the monthly costs. Carissa was born to be a therapist, obviously, but she’s never been great with money. She has no idea just how much my parents have sacrificed to help her live these dreams of hers, and if I have anything to do with it, she never will.
Me: We’ll see, Rizzo. I should go to bed. Have fun getting tackled by more patients today!
Carissa: If I could be so lucky. Goodnight, sis! *kissy face*
I chuckle and stand to head back to my bed, but a shadowy shape moves just ahead. I shriek, throwing my food in the airand stumbling back. A hand catches my wrist at the same time an arm snakes around my back to hold me steady, and then suddenly I’m pressed against a whole man.
“Sorry!” Houston says, his voice somewhere above my head. Did I know he was this tall? I’m pretty sure when I interviewed him last week, Jesse put me in Tamlin’s tallest heels, so I didn’t notice. Neither was I close enough to him yesterday to really compare our heights. But standing here in his hold makes me realize that he probably has more than six inches on me. I’m the perfect height to rest my head against his chest and hang out here for a while.
“I’m going to let go of you, okay? Are you steady?”
“Yep,” I say even if I don’t feel steady at all. He caught me so easily, and I just got up close and personal with his insanely fit body. I hate how much I wish I had realized thatbeforehe slowly lets go of me. Now that he’s no longer touching me, I’m acutely aware of how warm he is because I’m suddenly chilled without him.
A light flickers on in his hand—the flashlight on his phone—and illuminates the patio beneath our feet. It gives us enough light to see each other, for which I’m grateful because this sheepish smile of his is borderline adorable. That’s not something he ever puts on TV.
“I promise I’m not trying to sneak up on you or murder you in the dark,” he says lightly. “I didn’t think anyone would be up this early.”
Hmm, he’s calling this early, while in my head this is late. Does that mean he’s already slept some tonight?
“Do you always get up at two A.M.?” I ask.
He relaxes a little, probably glad to see that I’m not afraid of him this time. I still am afraid, but I don’t think he’s going to murder me. I’m more worried that he’s going to spell the end ofmy career as I know it. That could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the story he gives me.
“Not all the time,” he says, shuffling his feet. He’s wearing old man slippers and a pair of gym shorts, which is a really strange combination. He follows my gaze. “I don’t recommend walking around outside barefoot at night,” he says.
I look up. “Why?”
“There might be scorpions and—”
I yelp, and next thing I know I’m in his arms, my arms around his neck and my feet swinging wildly as he tries to keep his balance. “Oh!” I gasp, not sure if I should laugh or cry. I should get some sleep, is what I should do. “Sorry,” I whisper. “I had no idea that I could jump that high.”
He doesn’t seem to know what to do with me, half a smile on his face. “I mean, you’re not super likely to run into any this far into the city, but it’s good to be cautious. I’ve seen a few here and there.”
I shake my head, still gripping him tight. And only partially because I’m worried I’m going to die out here. Do people die from scorpion stings? I think kids can, but I’d probably survive as an adult. Man, this guy is strong. He’s holding me like I weigh nothing, and he smells so good. Whatever soap he uses, he absolutely needs to keep using it. It’s almost enough to make me forget about the scorpions.
“Okay, so here’s something you need to know about me,” I say, not sure why I’m telling him this. I’m supposed to be getting close to him, not giving him reasons to ignore me. “I am incredibly unlucky.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Unlucky?”
